Friction disk clutch.



G. P. BOWDLE.- I

FRICTION DISK CLUTCH. APPLIUATIUN TILED EEP-T. 20, 1909.

Patanted Sept. 27, 1910.

2 sums-annzrni.

G. F. BOWDLE. FRICTION DISK GLUTGH. APPLIUATION FILED snr'r. 20, 19 09.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

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rmcrioiv Disk CLUTCH.

, Specif cation of Letters Patent. I Patent-ed Sept. 1910. Application and September 20, 1909. serial a... 518,621

" Be 'it'known that I, GEORGE F. BOWDLE, a

Piqua, in the count citizen of the United States, residing at certain new and useful Improvements in Friction Disk Clutches; and I do declare the following to be a full, and exact description of the'in'vention,

Ohio, have invente to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

of reference marked thereon, part of thisspecification.

' itself when set, and which will gra I, clutch rotate being which form a This invention relates to new imgrovements in friction disk clutches.

ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a clutch that automatically tightens become tighter until all the parts of. the in unison, such forni ofclutch especially adapted for automobiles.

Other objects of the invention are topro vide a clutch'of the above type in which the wear on the disks is taken up without the necessity of adjustment, and which gives practically a positive drive, with a short throw to set theclutch.

' Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, is

an end elevation with the housing removed.

V Fi 2, is a section on the line 61 d of Fig. 1.

F12. 3, is a section on the line b b of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a detail of the split nut-supporting .plate.- This plate acts as a pressureaplate 5, is a section for the friction disks. Fig d l ig. 6, is a' etai of one-half vof the split nut. Fig. 7 ,is a top a plan view of one of 'ried by the driven member. Fi

plan view, of the assembled friction disks,

the pressure plate, the split nut, and the actuating frame for the sp it nut. Fig. 8 is the friction disks carplan View .ofone of the friction isks' carriedIby the driving member.

.In the following description of the i1i vention, similar reference characters-indicate corresponding parts in the drawings.

1 designates a fly wheel mounted on a "crankshaftv 2 of a gasolene engine (not shown) and which supports a plate 3 and a .housing 4/ The'plate 3 is provided with an extended hub 5 which forms a bearing foran end Got a driving shaft 7. The plate ,3 and'the housing 4 rotate with. the" fly wheel 1', but the driving shaft 7 and the of Miami and State of.

and to the letters and figures,

and useful ually 7 split nutconsisting fin engagement by the cam portion 19 of the frame 20 eninwardly.

parts rigidl mounted thereon are normally free and on y rotate when the clutch is set.

The plate .3 is also provided with a cylindrical extension 8 on which is slidingly mounted a plurality of friction disks- 9, said disks being secured to said extension -by a key 10.- The disks 9 rotate with the fly wheel -1 and lie between a plurality of larger friction disks 1 1 which rotate with the driving shaft 7. The said disks 11 are slidingly mounted on rods 12 attached to aconical plate 13 keyed to the driving shaft 7. The

rods 12 also slidingly support a pressure plate 14 adapted topress thejfr'iction disks 9. and 11 together when the clutch is set. The plate I L-is actuated .to compress the disks by-two halves or portions 15 constituting a splitmut, and which are slidingly mounted on plate 14 by means of extensions 15' and guides 14:; The halves 15 of'the split nut are placed in engagement with a resilient threaded -sleeve 16 to' actuate the pressure plate '14, by "cam portions 19 on a frame20 engaging cam portions 21 on the of the two parts 15'. The frame 20 is mounted on rods 22 having bearings in the conical .plate 13, and the outer ends of which are attached to a collar 23 slidin' ly mounted on the driving shaft 1' The co lai' 23 is provided with a ring 24:

.having trunnions 25 by means of which the collar23 is shifted to set and unset-the clutch. When the collar 23 is thrown inwardly, it carries with it the frame 20 and the two halves'15 of the split nut are thrown with the threaded sleeve 16 ga ing the cam-portion 21 on the split nut 15. The threaded leeve 16 rotates with the fly wheel 1 by means of a key 16' which projects into an elongated recess on the inside of the sleeve 16, and when so rotated, draws the two halves 15 of the 'split nut This action draws the pressure plate 14 against the disks 9 'and 11, and the driving shaft 7' will gradually begin to rotate. The sleeve 6 will continue to draw in the two halves 1 of the split nut, and the a pressure 'plate'14, until all the parts of the clutch rotate in iiiiison- When the collar 23 is thrown-outwardly, the frame 20 releases the two halves 15 of the split nut, and they are disengaged from the threaded sleeve 16 by centrifugal force assisted by springs 26. This releases the pressureon the disks 9 and 11, and the shaft 7 will not be ro-l tated. The sleeve 16 is slidingly mounted gm the hub 5, but rotates therewith through .Imeansof the key 16 and the inner elongated f "recess hereinbefore referred to, and its sliding movement is controlled by asprmg 18. S[ I 1 i s construction allows the sleeve, 16 toyield the driven shaft 7 should becbfne excessively retarded, and thereby prents partsfof the" clutch frombreakmg.

i-Ii'ithe event the sleeve 16 should yield dur-' t s. 1

he operatioii' of theclutch, the spring etur s-it' to. its'l-normal po'sltion when sediby the conical plate 13, the

"hoiising d the'lplate 3,-and ma Ithererol run ism oil bath;

I claim a "1.. frictioii clutch', faplurality of fric- Lion disks "apressure'f plate adapted to compressisai disks and resiliem means actugtedl'hv the (lIlVlIlQ shaftfor actuatin said pressure plate.

2. In a'friction c lutclna plurality of fric;

tioii disks, means adapted to compress said disks, and a-resilient. threaded sleeve aetu ated ,by the-driving shaft and adapted to actuate' said disk-compressing means.

3. In afriction clutch,a plurality of fricjti on' disks, means adapted to. compress said wdisks, threaded members adapted to actuate .said disk-compressing means, and resilient means actuated by the'driving shaft for actuating said threaded members to actuate the said disk-compressing means.

1 '4. In a friction clutch,'a plurality of fric- .tion disks, means for compressing said disks, ...threaded members actuating said compressing' means, a resilient actuating member adapted to actuatesaid threadedmembers,

'and a cam member adapted to place said threaded members in operative relation with 7 said actuating-member.

l 5. In a frictioncluteh, a plurali Y of friction disks, a pressure late adapte' to compress s'aid frictiondis s, split-nut members mounted on said ressure plate, a resilient threaded sleeve a apted to be engaged by. sald split nut portions, and, means for plac- 's' released, The entire mechaning said split nut portions in engagement 50 with said threaded sleeve.

6. In a friction clutch, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality. of disks mounted 011 said driving shaft and lying between the disks on the driven shaft, a plurality of disks mounted on said drivenshaft, a pressure plate-adapted to compress all of said :disks, a s lit nut adapted to actuate said pressure ate, a resilient threaded sleeve rotating with said split nut and said pressure plate, and means for placing said split nut in' engagement with said threaded sleeve.

51'. In a friction clutch, friction members,

devices for placing said friction members in engagement, resilient threadedmembers actuated by the driving shaft, for actuating said devices, and means adapted to actuate said threaded members.

8. In a friction clutch, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality of plates mounted on said driving shaft, a plate mounted on said driven shaft having rods extending 'therefrom,a plurality ofplatesmounted on said rods and lying between the plates on the driving shaft, aring adapted to compress all of said plates, and means actuated v the driving shaft adapted to actuate said rods and adapted to compress all of said plates, nut portions mounted on said ring,

a threaded sleeve adapted-to be engaged bysaid nut portions, a cam adapted to place said nut portions in enga ement with said sleeve, and means adapted to actuate said cam.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

. GEORGE F. BOWDLE. Witnesses:

Ed: Vii-BERRY, ia'r'rrrsw SIEBLER. 

